Blue Economy Concept Recommended for IORA Summit

The concept of a Blue Economy development will be highly recommended and discussed at the Indian Ocean Rim Association’s (IORA’s) meeting in March 2017, a Foreign Ministry official said.

The Chief of the Policy Assessment and Development at the Foreign Ministry Siswo Pramono made these remarks after the conclusion of IORA, which has come up with 11-point recommendations called the “Yogyakarta Message.”

“The concept of the Blue Economy development is the most recommended issue as IORA member states have marine territory, which must be optimized,” he said.

The “Yogyakarta Message” states that the priority of the Blue Economys development that each IORA member state must pursue in a comprehensive and sustainable way is not only limited to fisheries, but also to farming, marine biotechnology, marine industry, energy, marine tourism and sea transportation.

Siswo said almost all IORA member states have experience in applying the concept of the Blue Economy. Through the concept, marine resource potential, including that of fisheries and energy, must be used in a sustainable way.

IORA member states can share experiences, strategic advantage and fisheries management, he said.

“I believe all countries in the Indian Ocean have the experience, but they need to work together to optimize it,” Siswo stated.

He said high seas in the Indian Ocean have abundant resource potential to support the economy of each IORA member state. Therefore, through the concept, IORA member states can hopefully manage them together.

“The Indian Ocean is not a coast, but is a high sea so they must manage it together,” he said.

Founded in March 1997, IORA is made up of 21 littoral states bordering the Indian Ocean. They are Australia, South Africa, Bangladesh, Comoros, India, Indonesia, Iran, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Madagascar, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mozambique, Oman, Seychelles, Singapore, Tanzania, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Somalia.(*)